HADITH: THE LAST PERSON TO ENTER PARADISE

Narrated by Muslim in his Saheeh (187) from ‘Abdullah ibn Mas‘ood (RadiyAllahu Anhu), according to which the Messenger of Allah (SallAllahu Alaihi Wa Sallam) said:

“The last one to enter Paradise will be a man who will walk once, stumble once and be burned by the Fire once. When he gets past it, he will turn to it and say,

‘Blessed be the One Who has saved me from you. Allaah has given me something that He has not given to the first and the last.’

A tree will be raised up for him, and he will say,

‘O Lord, bring me closer to this tree so that I might shelter in its shade and drink of its water.’

Allaah, may He be glorified and exalted, will say:

“O son of Adam, perhaps if I give you that, you will ask Me for something else.”

He will say,
‘No, O Lord,’ and he will promise that he will not ask Him for anything else, and his Lord will excuse him because he has seen something that he cannot help wanting. So he will be brought near to it and he will shelter in its shade and drink of its water.

Then another tree will be raised up for him that is more beautiful than the first, and he will say:

‘O Lord, bring me closer to this tree so that I might drink of its water and shelter in its shade, and I will not ask You for anything else.’

He will say:

“O son of Adam, did you not promise Me that you would not ask Me for anything else?”
He will say:
“Perhaps if I bring you near to it, you will ask Me for something else.”

He will promise that he will not ask Him for anything else, and his Lord will excuse him because he has seen something that he cannot help wanting. So he will be brought near to it and he will shelter in its shade and drink of its water.

Then another tree will be raised up for him at the gate of Paradise that is more beautiful than the first two, and he will say:

‘O Lord, bring me closer to this tree so that I might shelter in its shade and drink of its water, and I will not ask You for anything else.’

He will say:

“O son of Adam, did you not promise Me that you would not ask Me for anything else?”

he will say,
‘No, O Lord, I will not ask You for anything else.’ His Lord will excuse him because he has seen something that he cannot help wanting. He will be brought close to it, and when he draws close to it, he will hear the voices of the people of Paradise and will say,

‘O Lord, admit me therein.’

He will say:

“O son of Adam, what will make you stop asking? Will it please you if I give you the world and as much again?”

He will say:

‘O Lord, are You making fun of me when You are the Lord of the Worlds?’”

Ibn Mas’ood smiled and said:
‘Why don’t you ask me why I am smiling?’

They said:
‘Why are you smiling?’

He said:
‘This is how the Messenger of Allaah (SallAllahu Alaihi Wa Sallam) smiled and they said: Why are you smiling, O Messenger of Allaah? He said:

“Because the Lord of the Worlds will smile when he says, ‘are You making fun of me when You are the Lord of the Worlds?’ and will say:
“I am not making fun of you, but I am Able to do whatever I will.”